Control device



NOV. 2, 1943. H C, GRANT, JR 2,333,150() :CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1941 Il? f/ .INVENTOR V wf@ C. G'rarg/W:

ATTORNEY .whichV can be operated Patented Nov. 2, 1943 d UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE yCoNTnoL DEVICE Harry C. Grant, Jr., N ew York, N. Y., assignor to r Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 14, 1941, Serial No. 406,785

8 Claims.

tainers containing the pressure medium, eacht having a valve or similar means ,for releasing the pressure medium contained therein. A suitable valvefor this purposemay` comprise a spring seated piston operated valve member adapted to be` opened by a pilot Valve which normally is closed by the Apressure in the cylinder and which may be opened to bleed a portion of the pressure medium in back of the piston.

, An objectof the invention is to provide a Simple inexpensive device lfor controlling the operationof Valves for releasing a `fluid medium under high pressure.

Another object isto provide a control device 4 which is compact and is constructed of a minimum number of parts.

Another object 'is to, provide a control device which connot be operatedunintentionally but is 'reliable in operation when operated intentionally.

Another object vis to provide a' control device pressure medium.

Afurther object, consists in the construction and arrangement `of the parts of the device whereby theioregoing objects, may be attained. Other and ,further objects, not specifically enumerated above, will be apparent vwhen de- A'scribed in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is atop view of a control device, illus- "tratingan embodimentof the invention. AFigure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2 2 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 on Figure 2.

` LFigure 4 is a sectional View taken along the line '4-,4 on Figure 2. f

. Referring moreparticularly to the drawing, there vis shown' a'V portion of a valve assembly Il) `for 'releasing a pressure medium` from acylinder wherein the valve means (not Shown)l are actuated byfapilot valvemember H normauy held againsta valve seat |2 `to closea by-passfport I4 through which the pressure medium may be con- .lducted-.toactuatethe valvemeans. As shown in Fisarejawnirel dei/Celi in worden@ with either manually or by a` l the invention, for operating the pilot valve member may be attached to the upper end of the valve assembly I0 by a suitable coupling nut I6 or the like. f

The control device comprises a casingor housing 20 which is substantially L-shaped, and has an inner bore providing a chamber 2| in.` one of the branches of the L for receiving a pressure -operable piston 22 carrying a stem or rod member 24. The stem 24 is slidably disposed in the bore and chamber 2| by a bushing 25 having an aperture for receiving the stem. The bushing 25 is held in place within the bore by a screw threaded plug 26 also having an aperture'fo'r receiving the stem 24 and preferably housing a packing or sealing gland v21 which extends about the stem. The lower end 29 of the stem is adapted to project outwardly from the aperture of the plug 26 and is positioned adjacent the pilot valve member solthat upon downward movement oi the stem the pilot valve member is adapted to be engaged and unseated to eiect operation of the valve means. Instead of utilizing thestem forunseating a valve member, it will be understood that the stem could be utilized for other purposes, for example, operating an electrical switch or tripping a latch mechanism.

The stem is adapted tobe operated by uid pressure medium or by manually operable mechanical means. To effect pressure operation the housing may be provided with an inlet port 3D (Figure 3) for admitting pressure above the piston 22 to drive it downwardly in the chamber 2| which acts as a cylinder for the piston. In addition, an outlet port 3| may be provided in the housing, preferablydiametrically opposite the-inlet port 30, for conducting the actuating pressure Y its lower endseated `onthe bushing 25 and havthepiston 22 ing its upper end engaging the underside of the piston to urge it upwardly.

In order to operate the control device manually, the upper end of the stem 24 projects above and is provided with a head, boss or cap portion 35 adapted to be engaged by the face of a wide rotatable cam 36 or other eccentrio member (Figure l4:) mounted on a rotatable stern wheel in position. "It

shaft Ztl disposed in a bore 39 in the other branch of the substantially L-shaped housing 2S,

The shaft 3l is mounted substantially transversely or perpendicularly with respect to the stem 2t so that, upon krotation of the cam B, the cam is adapted to vmove the stem Eil downwardly. The shaft 3l is slidably disposed in the bore 3g by slidabiy and rotatablymounting one end, lill, in a journal or bearing aperture iii and having the other end 42 `extend slida'bly and rotatably through the aperture of a plug or bushing 4Q threaded into the bore 39. This plug 'ell may house a packing Ior sealing gland le -extending about the shaft 3l' to hermetically seal the bore 39. The end lll ofthe shaft lis`ni'irir'ially urged into the journal aperture lli, so that the side wall of the cam abuts the inner sidewall of the housing adjacent the aperture ill, by a resilient member such4 as a cylindrical helical spring 4S telescoped over the shaft 3l having one end. engaging an apertufred disc ill facing the plug 45 and having its other end engaging a cup-shaped vcap or shell i9 vurged. against a shoulder lo on the shaft 3l.

The `shaft 3l is vadapted to be rotated or pulled outwardly in opposition to the `springt-' by providing the end 42 kof the `shaft 'whichextcnds outwardly from Athe plug "M withal'V manually engageable member such as a handwheel 5l) suitably keyed or arbored to the end of the shaft. Preferably, the handwheel `has a cylindrical skirt or flange 5I which is milled or knurlfed on the exterior to facilitateinanual enygjag'ement"('Figune 1) ari'cl which is partially tele.. fscoped over the Afree end of the'housing.

In 'order 'to prevent accidentalV or unintentional lrotation of the handwheeL shait'andc'am,

the free end of the 'skirt is provided 'with a recess or :groove 52 circumferentially positioned with respect to the cain to` receive a lug, tongue, or

V'proj'ecticn 54 von 'the housing when the 'cani is in e position io enable ine spring se innige the upwardly. However, the handwheel may be rotated by pulling it 'outwardlyjto clearmthe ltongue Eli. As will be "seen 'in'Figuret'2', the cam 3B is of a Width which maintains the surface thereof in engagement v'vi'thth'eupper end of the stein, whereby rotation of one hande/nea in either direction rwill rotate the cam to move the stern ownwardly. After the handwheel has 'been pulled outwardly end 'is beine rotated, me free ledge of the `flange or skirttl abuts the 'tongue 5t to 'hold the neniiwneei in its oniweripooition.

'when the handwiieei has been rotaie-d into a position so that the cam' presses the stem downwardly to its `maximum extent, it is desirable to "maintain the stem in `this position, whereby `the pilot valve .member 'Il yis held in unseated position. This may beaccomplished by providing a groove or slot '55 (Figure `2`) oircumferentially located 'in the 'skirt yof the V'handwheel vwhich is adapted to Vreceive the tongue or rprojection'fill when the parts are in the Aforegoing yrela-tion. Preferably, y A55 depends upon the contour of the oaniand, for eXarnple,`where 'the high and-*low contact points of the cam "are ,diarnetically opposite (Figure e) ine groom; 5t is gaiso vopposite nie groove 52. o l are'in alignmentthe spring llt 'is effective-'ropull vthe shaf'tan-d handwhe'el inwardly "wherebyithe tongue enters fthe Sroo *y i will be understood "that,

ve and looks the nandbe provided with a lug having a groove for rehandwheel is vpulled outwardly or is rotated.

From the 'foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved control device adapted to be used in connection with high pressure medium dispensing systems. The device is compact and is constructed of a minimum number of parts which are readily iliade and assembled. `The device is 'positive in operation,A -li'nsu'res proper" release, of the fluid ""i'essure Vi'nedium,'and is protected against unauthorized tampering. The parts 'of the device 'are rugged in construction and can Vreadily withstand :any vrou'gl'i usage to which they maybe subjected.

o While 'myY invention resides `in certain principles of construction and operation which `have been illustrated'and descr'ilo'edi'i'i connection with the accoidahyi'ng'drawing, it `will be apparent to those Askilled in the vthat the invention may *be 'embodied in 'other Yforms of vconst'ru'ctic'in without departing infanyy manner `'from ther-spirit and `scope,fof the "invention, vand I 'therefore do not Ato tbe vstrictly limited `toftl'ie "disclosure, butrather Ato the scope of the Y'f'ilpple'nued claims.

l1. v In a device for `corl'trlJl-ling thefoperation-of `a Lvalve member, the :combination of a housing, a member slidablydi posed in said housingA adapted to operate the valve member, a shaft exten-'ding transversely with respect to said'me'niber and being `slidably and rotatably disposed in said lhousing and'having one vvend projecting outwardly therefrom, a cam onfsaid shaftadapted'to 'engage said imember "for fei'e'cting 'movement thereof; manually enga'geable 'means on the outwardly projecting je'n'd 'offsaid :shaft for pulling said 'shaft outwardly 'and 'for rotating 'said Shaft,

. ingv said manuallyengag'ejable means, .said shaft instead toi providing "eroneuegonuzhe housing M vend said nain jin e '.po'oitionvvheiebyosei'd oem holds said s'lidable 4II'Hooi' infopelatng position, resilientineans associated'with said shaft and said housing foroppsingsliding 'movement 'of said shaft and adapted to 'return' saidshaft to its initial position, "said "ca-rn `b`er`g`of a 'width vto remain in contact 'with s'aidfxriernberjwhen said shaft is pulled outwardly wherebyfsaidoain is adapted to operate 'said memjberfwhen said yoneri; is fin its 'outward position,jend'breakabie means attached to said man ally "engageabl'e means and'said 'housing 'for 'indi ""n'gwhen -s'a'id manually `en^g`a`gealolenieans *av 'en operated. 2. inaoevioeoiuie las 'odineoombination'of ajpjhous'ing; ta me `er1slidably`-dis fpose'd in said housing; Ja u'shaft entendi-ng Itransl'said member and lbeing slidably and rotatably disposed insaid;l housing and having one end projecting outwardly therefrom; a cam on said shaft adapted to engage saidmanually engageable means against unintentional rotation, including a, tongue on said housing and a groove formed in said manually engageable means, said manually-engageable means having aisecondgroove formed therein adapted to cooperate with said tongue for locking said manually engageable means, ysaid, shaft and said cam in `a positionwhereby said cam holds said slidable member in operating position;

and resilient means associated `withsaid shaft and said housing for opposing sliding movement of said shaft and iadaptedtto return `'said shaft to itsinitial position, said cam being of awidth to *remain` in` contact with said member when said shaft is pulled outwardly whereby said cam is adapted to operate said member when said shaft is in its outward position.

3. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a housing; `a member slidably disposed in said housing; a shaft extending transversely with .respect to said member and being slidably and rotatably disposed in said housing and having one end projecting outwardly therefrom; a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said member for effecting movement thereof; manually engageable means on the outwardly projecting end of said shaft for pulling said shaft outwardly and for rotating said shaft; means associated with said manually engageable means and said housing for locking said manually engageable means against unintentional rotation while in non-operating position, and for locking said manually engageable means, said shaft and said cam` in a position whereby said cam holds said slidable member in operating position; and resilient means associated with said shaft and said housing for opposing sliding movement of said shaft and adapted to return said shaft t its initial position, said cam being of a width to remain in contact with said member when said shaft is pulled outwardly whereby said cam is adapted to operate said member when said shaft is in its outward position.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a housing;` a member slidably disposed in said housing; a shaft extending transversely with respect to said member and be-A ing slidably and rotatably disposed in said housing and having one end projecting outwardly therefrom; a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said member for effecting movement thereof; resilient means for urging said member toward said cam; manually engageable means on the outwardly projecting end of said shaft for pulling said shaft outwardly and for rotating said shaft; means associated with said manually engageable means and said housing for locking said manually engageable means against unintentional rotation while in non-operating position, and for locking said manually engageable means, said shaft and said cam in a position whereby said cam holds said slidable member in operating position; and resilient means associated with said shaft and said housing for opposing sliding movementof said shaft and adapted to return said shaft to its initial position, said cam jbeing of a width `to remain in contactwith said member when said shaft is pulled `outwardly Vwhereby said cam l, is adapted to operatefsaid member when said shaft is in its outward position/H 5. In a device of the class described, thecoml bination of housing means;` a stem slidably disposed in said housing means; a shaftfextending traversely with respect to saidstem and' being slidably and rotatably disposed in said housing means and having one end projectingfoutwardly therefrom; a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said stem for effecting movement thereof; manually engageable means on the outwardlyprojectlng end of said shaft for pulling said shaft outwardly and for rotating said shaft; tongue and groove meansgassociated with said manually engageable means and said housing meansfor locking said manually engageable means against unintentional rotation, including a tongue on one of said means and a groove formed in said other.Y means, and a second groove formed in" one of,` said means adapted to cooperate with said tongue for locking said manually engageable means, said shaft and said cam in a position whereby said cam holds said` stem in operating position; .and resilient means associated with said shaft and said housing means for opposing sliding movement of said shaft and adapted to return said shaft to its initial position, said cam being of a width to remain in contact with said stem when said shaft is pulled outwardly whereby said cam is adapted to operate said stem when said shaft is in its outward position.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a housing; a member slidably disposed in said housing; a shaft extending transversely with respect to said member and being slidably and rotatably disposed in said housing and having one end projecting outwardly therefrom; a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said member for effecting movement thereof; manually engageable means on the outwardly projecting end of said shaft for pulling said shaft outwardly and for rotating said shaft; means associated with said manually engageable means and said housing for locking said manually engageable means against unintentional rotation While in nonoperating position, and for locking said manually engageable means, said shaft and said cam in a position whereby said cam holds said slidable member in operating position; resilient means associated with said shaft and said housing for opposing sliding movement of said shaft and adapted to return saidshaft to its initial position,.said cam being of a Width to remain in contact with said member when said shaft is pulled outwardly whereby said cam is adapted to operate said member Whensaid shaft is in its outward position; and breakable means attached to said manually engageable means and said housing for indicating when said manually engageable means have been operated.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a housing; a member having a piston thereon slidably disposed in said housing; a shaft extending transversely with respect to said member and vbeing slidably and rotatably disposed in said housing and having one end projecting outwardly therefrom; a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said member for effecting movement thereof; manually engageable means on the outwardly projecting end of said shaft for pulling said shaft outwardly and for rotating said shaft; means associated with said manually engageable meansfand said housing `forlockingfsaid manually Afengageable'#means against unintentional rotation Vliyshilelinnon-operating position, and foi1- 'locking .,;saidfmanu'ally engageable'lmeans, said shaft and said cam in a position whereby said carnhololsy Y. said'slidable-member in operating Lposition resilient means associated with said shaft andsaid 1 khousing -fforf opposing lsliding) movement, fof Lsaid .shaft andladapted 4toreturn fsaid shaft to-its initial position, said cam being of a width tore- I =main1-1in1-contact withy said 1 member when said shaft-:is pulled outwardly Wherebyesaid ca m is fadapted to i operate said member when said shaft l isZ in-"its outward position; and means on` said housing for introducing ali-11ndl 'medium under saidhousing and l'iavingfoneY end projectingout-A wardlyrtherefrom; a -camonllsaid shaft:adapted f. itof engage-said`2 memberiffor leffecting. movement r thereof manuallyfengage'able'fmeansi on the outwardiyepfojeenng `engi of said shaft 'for'l puning sa'id. shaft*outwardlyrandtfor rotatingsaid shaft;

f2 means-associated Ywitlsr-saidfmanually engageable means and-said Vhousing; `for'lockingsaid manu- 5, '-fallyjengageablemeans againstunintentional rotaf' tonfwhile 'in non-operating vposition; and' for 'Sflilo'c'king said manually feng-ageable means, said fshaftan'd said-#camin a position whereby said .1-ca`m=hc1ds said-sli'dable member inv operating posilo tion v"resilient-'means Aassociated `with `saidshaft andsaidi housing Afor opposing sliding movement fof-said shaft"A and-adapted -to return saidshaft toits initial-position,said cam-being'ofa-width f togremainin contact withrsad Amember when iysad* shaft` isfpul-led outwardly whereby said cam 1 s-l-adapted to'- Voperate Y said vmember when said '-fs`ha`ft'is inits-outwardposition; breakable means attachedl to-said manually engageablemeans Y and fsaid# housing` forindicating when`r said manually 20Y -engageablemeanshave been operated; and means on-l said'ihousing yfor'introducing a v uid medium @under pressure acting on saidpistonto-move said sli'dable-member"independently-of said-cam, said "f shaft,-saidmanu`ally engageable meansfand said 25V breakablemeans. 

